C&P: What's your favorite school lunch?Mattingly: Memorial used to serve pork fritter sandwiches that I loved! They were shaped like pork chops!

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Memorial High School's Larry Mattingly poses a question to his history class about World War II and the Nazi's concentration camps Monday afternoon.(Photo: DENNY SIMMONS / COURIER & PRESS)

C&P: What was your favorite subject when you were in school? Why?Mattingly: History, for the reason most students hate it, I'm good with dates!

C&P: What's one item on your bucket list?Mattingly: Visit the beaches and cemetery at Normandy.

C&P: What's the most difficult thing you've encountered being a teacher?Mattingly: Starting my first year without teacher's editions of the books used in my classes, or any other resources for that matter.

C&P: What's your favorite thing about being a teacher?Mattingly: Having the flexibility to teach the same subject in different ways and the students and teachers I work with that accept me for who I am.

C&P: Do you have a special talent? What is it?Mattingly: I warble a fair rendition of Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World."

C&P: If you weren't a teacher, what other job do you think you would like to do?

Mattingly: Working with elderly people in some manner. They have so much wisdom.

C&P: What's the one food you can't live without? Mattingly: White Castle cheeseburgers or 5-Ways from Skyline Chili.

C&P: Were you named after anyone?Mattingly: Yes, my father. My formal name is Lawrence Richard Mattingly, Jr.

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Memorial High school teacher Larry Mattingly leads a discussion on the Nazis and World War II with his history class Monday afternoon. Mattingly has taught for 32 years at the school and also serves as the varsity wrestling coach.(Photo: DENNY SIMMONS / COURIER & PRESS)

C&P: Did you have braces? If so, do you have any stories about your experience with them?

Mattingly: Got braces in March and got them off in November (I'm in my 50's!). I didn't realize they left little cuts that made eating hot and spicy food almost impossible.

C&P: What's your biggest strength?

Mattingly: Energy, enthusiasm and a lack of self-importance.

C&P: We know teachers are human, too. What is a weakness of yours? Mattingly: Self-confidence in many areas.

C&P: What are you listening to right now?Mattingly: Bob Seger and Gerry Rafferty.

C&P: What was the last movie you watched?Mattingly: "Frost" and "Nixon"

C&P: What's your favorite sound?Mattingly: The Memorial Band playing the Fight Song or the Pep Song and the student body singing along.

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Larry Mattingly, a social studies teacher of 32 years, discusses World War II with his Memorial High School history class Monday afternoon.(Photo: DENNY SIMMONS / COURIER & PRESS)

C&P: What college did you attend?Mattingly: Xavier and USI

C&P: When did you realize you wanted to be a teacher?Mattingly: When I started coaching 9-10 year-old football in 1982.

C&P: Any advice for people who hope to become a teacher one day?Mattingly: Try it, you'll like it!

If you want to nominate your teacher, students can do so by tweeting to @ECP_Erbacher (Megan Erbacher) with the hashtag #TeacherOfTheWeek. Parents can also nominate an educator by sending an email to megan.erbacher@courierpress.com or by tweeting as well.